Paywall for iPlayer?

[Alex]

 Ultimately the BBC can resolve the issue of licensing: outside of the
UK, 'free' BBC channels are supported by commercials (albeit tasteful,
high income advertisements from governments 'Come on holiday to this
once-third-world country and see how your business can make a good
deal!', semi-exclusive airlines which hoi polloi are unable to use
'Fly business class with our luxury liner in the sky', aimed at
business leaders 'We use /this/ computing platform to ensure that our
business can deliver!' or even luxury 5 star+ hotels aimed at the
corporate class 'Hold your next conference in our exclusive tropical
setting...' - but like all commercial channels, the frequency does
begin to grate.

Outside of the UK, as we know, iPlayer isn't available (though there
are moves afoot by the EU to change this).

Ultimately the easiest way to resolve this is to issue a 'key' (some
sort of GUID maybe, or a client certificate) with each TV licence,
coupled with a two-factor auth method.  Anyone with a TV licence can
enter their credentials and get pre-paid BBC viewing pleasure, those
without a licence will have to pay.  This would solve the issue with
the EU requiring the BBC to make iPlayer available to EU countries
(yes, it will be fully available, but people will have to subscribe or
pay-per-view) and those of us who have a statutory obligation to
purchase a license won't have to worry.

On 6 July 2015 at 18:56, michael norman <michaeltnorman at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>>
>>> Mike
>>>
>> Some real anti-BBC comments being posted on the forums. While I think
>> the BBC can be pretty arrogant as an organisation (for example when
>> dealing with complaints) I'm a great supporter of PBS broadcasting and I
>> think the range and quality of programmes produced by the Corporation is
>> just astounding, especially when compared to some of the dross put out
>> by the Commercial channels. Having spent a fair bit of time abroad in
>> recent years, I've not come across a broadcaster which can even come
>> close to rivalling the BBC whether it's radio or TV. I've never had any
>> dealings with the BBC other than as a viewer so I cannot comment on
>> whether it's top-heavy with management, etc.
>>
>> For me, the licence fee is excellent value for money - not a day goes by
>> without me referring to the BBC website, reading news etc, ditto
>> listening to radio and viewing TV.  And the iPlayer is now providing the
>> type of TV I dreamed about 20 years ago (knocking spots off ITV's
>> offering) and, of course, get_iplayer is an invaluable bolt-on. I do
>> think the loophole that allows viewers to watch TV output online (as
>> long as it's not live) does need to be plugged. I'm more than happy to
>> pay the licence fee and would hate any move towards subscriptions fees
>> whether it's for TV or iPlayer access, equally I would be against any
>> move to make any of the BBC channels to carry commercials.
>>
>> Alan
>
>
> Agreed, fortunately without having had to experience being abroad without
> the BBC.
>
> The crucial point I was trying to make in the context of this list was and
> is how does the bbc plug what they perceive as the iPlayer gap.  Its ironic
> that iPlayer is streets ahead technically of all the other catch up
> services, particularly ITVs offering, aside from anything about quality
> content the BBC started the whole thing and have made it work.
>
> What happens next ? I don't know, I fear the worst.
>
> Mike
>
>
>
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-- 
Alex